There is a new trend in NY sports coverage, and it seems to be best explained this way: "Yo Isiah, my bad.  That Curry trade was alright."  Check it out:

Newsday has always been our favorite local paper in terms of Knicks coverage, because unlike the other Isiah-bashers, they focus on what's actually going on with the Knicks, and not just breaking on the team like a bunch of Larry Brown dick ryders.  Which describes the Post and Daily News the best.  Here are some lines from Alan Hahn's blog today:

"Yes, Bird told NBA.com that the Pacers would be interested in acquiring a first-round pick to replace the one they lost to Atlanta as a result of the Al Harrington deal (clearly a worse deal than Isiah's deal for Eddy Curry). The Knicks have a pick at No. 23 and would be willing to part with it in a package for O'Neal."

Alan then goes on to explain, correctly we might add, that Larry Bird hates the Knicks, hates Isiah, and has no interest in improving the Knicks at his expense.  In fact, we love this line: "Bird dealing O'Neal to the Knicks would be as likely as Isiah dealing Curry to Michael Jordan and the Bobcats."  Indeed.

We pulled the first quote for a reason, though - as impartial as Newsday has been, this is the first time they actually came out and said the Curry trade ain't so bad (or at least, it ain't as bad as the Al Harrington deal).  There's the first step.

As an aside to Nets fans, Alan also mentions this at the end of the article: "The longer Jeff (Van Gundy) stays unemployed, the more Lawrence Frank should be concerned".    

More from Newsday, but this time from Ken Berger:

"Had Chicago landed in the top three, Thomas never -- ever -- would've heard the end of it.

It is easier this way, but don't worry. I would've made the same point even if that embarrassing outcome had unfolded.

My point is this: Chill. The Knicks aren't getting Oden or Durant. Neither are the Bulls. Even if they were, the die was already cast."

We believe Ken when he argues that he wouldn't have jumped on the bandwagon of Isiah-bashing that would have taken place had the Bulls gotten Oden or Durant.  Still, we think it would have helped if you had called out the rest of the local media guys (Frank Isola, Mitch Lawrence, Peter Vescey, et al) who have been bashing Isiah for a long time now over this deal.  

This was the money quote: "the Knicks can point to the four teams currently in the conference finals and see that the draft lottery put two of them there. The other two didn't need it."

We made this argument already, and oddly enough, that was before we even knew who had made it to the conference finals.  But we pointed out that the Pistons were without a real lottery pick, just through gambles that paid off - Billups, Hamilton, 'Sheed.  The mid-level exception on a player with potential, but had yet to be a star in the league.  A trade for a young player on another team's bench.  And a trade for the biggest headcase in the league (akin to trading for Artest now).

Anyway, Ken finishes with this line, which sums up our feelings on the Curry trade: "Just like nobody will know for at least three more years if Thomas' decision to trade all these picks for Curry was dumb, dumber, or not so bad after all."

Word up.

Even the Post is coming out to give Isiah a break... from Marc Berman's blog: "Will the second-guessing of the Eddy Curry trade now stop? Because it should after last night's lottery in which the Bulls stayed put at No. 9"

"I've said it. I've written it. The Knicks didn't go 33-49 because of the Curry trade. Isiah has made a lot of mistakes during his Knick reign - signing Jared Jeffries the latest. But he was right on the Curry deal."

Wow, it's a Curry deal lovefest all of a sudden.  

But Marc also had some useful info for Knicks fans: "...keep hearing about Boston College's 6-10 shotblocker Sean Williams as piquing Isiah's interest, even though he hadn't been on the mocks because he was kicked off the team for pot-smoking..."

So what do we know about Sean Williams, besides his obvious Marcus Camby-like physique and traits?  Okay, let's get the details out first:  Sean was permanently dismissed from the BC team for what is rumored to be (according to ESPN) the failure of multiple drug tests for marijuana.  

One, I had no idea colleges tested for drugs.  That's how little I know about college ball.  Two, clearly he has a fondness for weed.  Some teams might be turned off by that, which is why he has dropped out of the projections.  James Dolan doesn't like off the court trouble, and the Knicks (believe it or not) are one of the cleanest teams in the leagues.  As a fan, I could care less.  Is he good?

Williams is a shot blocking machine, with a few moves, but not much.  He's basically comparable to a Steven Hunter or Samuel Dalembert type (in terms of potential), according to Draft Express.  NBA Draft compares him to Theo Ratliff.  You get the idea, huh?  He can fill a big need on the Knicks right now, which is a PF who can block shots in the paint and contest jump shooters, too.  At BC this season he averaged... are you serious... 5.0 bpg. 5 blocks!  Per game.  

He had 12 blocks at Providence.  7 at University of Rhode Island (too bad the Knicks don't play any games in Little Rhody).  7 at Kansas, a legit title contender.  13 against Duquesne.  He also averages more than 2 steals per game.  As is the case with most young shot blockers, he also gets into foul trouble.  

His rebounding is so-so.  In those four big games, he had double figures in rebounding (including 15 against Kansas), but otherwise... eh.  He averaged about 7 boards a game.  His scoring was okay - lots of double figure games, but 19 is his high this season (3 times). 

Still, you can get excited about a guy who came up big against the best - his Kansas game totals: 19 pts, 15 rebs, 3 steals, 7 blocks.  The next game against Duquesne he had 19 pts, 10 rebs, 2 steal, and 13 fricking blocks.  

Bottom line: I'm sure I'll be happy with whoever Isiah picks, whether it is this guy, the crazy ill Italian SG with the range, or some random dude off the radar.  I'll even be happy if he trades the pick and gets something back that's useful.  Why get greedy, we already got a #10 pick in Randolph Morris (one more reason I don't care too much about losing the #9 to the Bulls).  But would I want Sean Williams?

Yes, he would be fill a need (shot-blocking PF).  Should I care about the drug test failures?  Well, last year another Big East player projected to go high slipped to the low 20's because of "character" issues.  Marcus Williams turned out okay.  Personally, he was a tougher choice, as he was a fat, out of shape point guard (I've gone over this, too), whereas Sean Williams just likes smoking trees.  Stick him and Renaldo together on the road trips, and order them some White Castle.

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